Stalker
by Spirited Heart
Summary: Max looked at the screen, and she realized with horror that the message wasn’t from Fang. She read the message out loud with disbelief. "I’m in the basement and I’m coming up to kill you now."
1. New York is a dangerous place

**Disclaimer: I decided to do a new sort of fan fic…hopefully it'll go well. Some of the phone threats are based off of a movie I saw in school that really freaked me out, and has stuck with me for a while. Rated for disturbing themes and death threats. But other than that…**

**Stalker**

Maximum Ride walked along the crowded sidewalks of New York City. All around her people with all backgrounds walked too, but didn't pay her any attention. They all had a meeting, or a bus to catch, or a job to go to. Each person was paying attention to their own life, and Max enjoyed that.

She marveled at the enormous buildings on either side of her. Max hadn't been in New York for quite some time, and had forgotten just how big it really was. But Max wasn't thinking about that at the moment. A pair of sunglasses caught her eye in a store window on 5th Avenue, and she had stopped to admire them.

"HEY! Watch it!" she yelled as someone bumped into her. _Jeez!_ She thought to herself. _These New Yorkers have no manners. _Taking heed of the situation, she pulled the darkly colored messenger bag closer to her, and stepped into a nearby Starbucks coffee shop to get a drink.

"Here's your frapachino!" smiled the cashier as she handed the drink to Max.

"Thanks." She paid for her drink, and sat down in a secluded booth towards the back of the café. Just as she was about to sip on the straw, her cell phone vibrated, signaling that she had received a text message.

"I bet its Angel using Fang's phone again." Said Max while rolling her eyes. Angel has recently acquired the talent of stealing Fang's phone and texting people. Angel had been unusually apprehensive this morning when Max left for the city. She had been worried about something…

Max opened her razor phone. It chimed cheerfully out loud.

"**You have received one text message from an anonymous contact."**

"Huh. That's strange. Angel doesn't send anonymous messages" Max whispered to herself.She opened the message, and immediately her blood chilled.

_I'm watching you. _

What!? Who sent this!? It couldn't have been Angel or Fang, they're not that crazy. It couldn't be Iggy. Heck, he couldn't see! Nudge was too hyper. Who was sending this? Max looked around the café to see if anyone in here could be sending it. No one was on their cell phone. Well, that eliminated one possibility. But then another question popped into her head. How did someone get my number? Soon another message appeared on her screen.

_I know where you are. _

Max was scared now. Who was doing this? What was going on? She quickly stood up and ran out of the store, abandoning her barely touched frapachino.

"**You have received one text message from an anonymous contact."**Her phone chimed merrily, again. Flipping open her screen, she read another message.

_I'm following you. _

Almost simultaneously another message popped on the screen.

_You can't hide. _

Max's heart was beating amazingly fast.

"I need to get to the train!" she whispered sacredly to herself. "I need to get away from here!" She got to the station, bought a ticket, and hopped on the train. A few minutes later after fighting through crowds, Max collapsed into a compartment panting and gasping for breath. She had run three blocks, and now she was safe.

Or, at least, she thought she was. Until her phone spoke once again.

"**You have received a text message from an anonymous contact."**

_I'm watching your every move. _

"But how is that possible?" she asked herself madly. "I bet this person isn't even on the train!" another message appeared.

_Oh yes I am._

"Oh. My. God." Max was terrified. She was beyond terrified. The train stopped at her exit, and Max ran out, not caring if she was pushing people out of her way. Another message appeared on her screen.

_I'm going to kill you. _

Max screamed silently, and burst through the door of the Flock's home.

"Is anyone here?" she yelled, "Fang? Iggy? It's Max. Is anybody here? Please! Help me!" but then she remembered. They had all gone out to see a movie.

"Oh god." Max whimpered to herself. "Now I'm here all alone." She sprinted up the staircase and burst into her room, slamming and locking the door behind her. She closed the window screens and turned on her computer, opening up a chat room.

"Maybe I could contact Fang through the computer." She thought to herself, typing Fang a message frantically. Then a thought dawned on her. Why didn't she just turn the phone off? "Why didn't I think of that before?". Max turned off her phone and threw it onto the bed.

"There." She sighed, "My problems are over." Then her computer beeped. She had received a message on the chat room.

"Thank GOD!" she yelled, "Fang responded." But when she looked at the screen, she realized with horror that it wasn't Fang.

_I'm in the basement and I'm coming up to kill you now. _


	2. Footsteps

**Disclaimer: here's chapter 2 of "Stalker". What fun! **

**Warning: slight language**

"Holy shit!" hissed Max. How had this stalker gotten hold of her email and screen name? But what was even more frightening was the person's message. "I'm in the basement and I'm coming up to kill you now." Max was horrified. Was this person really in her basement? Or were they outside? She ran over to her window, opened the shades, and peeked out. No, no one was inside. It had been snowing quite a bit for the past week, and there was at least two feet of snow on the ground. Max shivered, out of both cold and fear. What was she going to do? She would have to think…she would have to think quickly. Her life depended on it. Suddenly, a longer message than those that came before popped up on the screen.

_I'm coming up the basement stairs. _

_I'm in the front hall. _

_I'm coming to kill you. _

"Fang, Fang…where could you be? Iggy…Angel…Nudge…Gassy…" Max curled herself into a tight ball on her chair and started crying silently. She was helpless now. Another message came up, slightly shorter than the last but of equal terror.

_I'm coming up the stairs. _

Much to her horror, Max could hear heavy male footsteps walking slowly up the stairs.

"I don't want to die…I don't want to die…I don't want to die…" she repeated the mantra, wishing it would help. Her computer binged again.

_I'm in the hallway. _

"Fang…I wish you were here…Oh, what did I do to disserve this…?" sobbed Max. Heavy footsteps walked down the hallway and stopped directly in front of her door.

_I'm right outside your door. _

Max couldn't take it anymore. With all of her might, she screamed.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" the footsteps moved back down the hallway, walked down the stairs. Max didn't move until she heard the front door slam.

"Oh my god…"she sighed. "It's finally over." She unlocked her room and went down stairs. She looked out of a window, but she didn't see any footprints. _That's odd. _She thought. Suddenly she was grabbed from behind. That was all she remembered until everything went black.


	3. Captured

**Disclaimer: oh my gosh. I got so many good reviews for this story! And to think I was actually not going to continue it…anyway, here's chapter #3. It's slightly short, but oh well. If you don't like attempted rape or violence, then don't read this. **

**AN: some of you were wondering…why doesn't Max fight back? Well, she doesn't fight back because she's paralyzed with fear. It's not that hard to imagine. **

**Warning: violence, attempted rape **

Max was barely able to open up her eyes. She was in a dark room, but had absolutely no idea where she was.

"Hello?" she whispered. Her answer was only silence. "Is anyone here? Hello?" a voice made her jump.

"Why hello there." Spoke a sleazy voice. "It seems my prey for this evening has finally woken up. Did you have a nice sleep?" out of the shadows stepped and man. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was covered in stubble. He smiled evilly.

"I hope you enjoyed your freedom, my pretty young thing. I'm afraid you won't have it back for a very. Long. Time." He annunciated every syllable, making Max tremble with fear.

"w-w-What are you g-g-going to do to me?" she stammered.

"Well," he chuckled cruelly, "first I'm going to beat you. I'm going to make every muscle hurt. I'm going to break all of your pretty little bones. And then," he looked into her frightened face, "I'm going to rape you. After that, I'll kill you, if you aren't already dead. I'll throw you in a ditch somewhere, where they'll never find you until you're nothing but a skeleton."

"No!" she wailed. Suddenly his hand flashed out and slapped her across the face. She slumped to the ground in pain, and hot tears trickled down her face.

"HA!" he laughed, "You though _that _hurt? Wait until you get this!" Max received several hard kicks in the gut, and she groaned in agony.

"No…please…stop…" she struggled to breathe. Instead of mercy, the man's fists viciously attacked her face, until her nose and lips were bleeding and her clothes were splattered in her own blood. He yanked her off the ground and threw her across the room, and Max hit the opposite wall with a dull thud, leaving several deep gashes in her ribs. Her head felt like it had been split in two, and now blood was trickling down her scalp.

"Don't catch your breath now," cackled the evil man, "there's more where that came from." He grabbed Max's arm and twisted it in a way that it was not supposed to be bend. Max head a cracking noise, and screamed out in pain.

"Ahh…my…arm….you…broke…it…" she gasped. Her mind was racing wildly. _I need to get out of here…I need to escape…now._With a sudden burst of energy, she kicked the man in the stomach. He uttered a short "oof" and fell over backwards. Max desperately limped towards the left corner. She moved her hand around the wall, and found a doorknob. _Yes. _Max grabbed it, and yanked it open. Suddenly she was bathed in sunlight, and in front of her there was a road she knew very well. _I'm so close to home! _She started limping madly towards the road, her broken arm dangling uselessly by her side.

"Get back here, you bitch! I ain't done with you yet!" yelled the man from behind her. Max jerked her head around, but then winced in pain. the man was chasing her, not about to give up his prey. Max saw that she was leaving a fairly thick trail of blood, and screamed. She turned her focus ahead, and was about to reach the road when._THUD. _She was forced to the ground.

"I've got you now," whispered the man ferociously in her hear while pulling her head back, "I'm going to---" she felt him jerk around, and heard him start to swear. And then he ran off, just like that.

Max's loss of blood was finally getting to her. As she slipped into an unconscious state, she heard familiar yells echoing around her, and felt herself being lifted gently by a pair of familiar and soothing arms.

"Oh, Max, what did he do to you?" and a blanket was draped onto her battered body. For the first time in several hours, she felt safe.


	4. Feelings Mount

**Disclaimer: AHHHHH!!!! I can't stop writing!!! I'M GOING INSANE!! On another note, here's chapter four. Very short, but you'll live. **

**Warnings: FAX, slight swearing**

**Three Days Later**

In her state of slight unconsciousness, Max could hear the three oldest members of the flock yelling. Iggy was concerned, Nudge was freaked out, and Fang was furious.

"DAMN IT, IGGY! WHY WON'T YOU LET ME GO AFTER THAT BASTARD, I SWEAR TO GOD IF I GOT MY HANDS AROUND HIS THROAT---" Fang slammed his fist on the wall.

"Don't be so freaking loud, Fang! Shit, you could wake the dead! You better get out of here, mister." Nudge whispered furiously, taking over her new found role of Max's protector and care taker. The flock had found Max on the road, bleeding terribly and covered with bruises, not to mention a broken arm. It had been Fang that had seen her first, and in a way Max owed him her life.

"I'm sorry," whispered Fang, "I'm just so upset. I should have been with her…it's all my fault…I can never forgive myself…" Nudge, who had been wiping Max's forehead with a wet cloth, gave Fang a look.

"It is not your fault, Fang, stop talking like that. Now please, let's leave Max so she can get some rest. C'mon, guys…" and they left Max alone, and silently closed the door behind them.

**Fang's Prov**

During dinner I couldn't keep my mind off of Max. Was she alright? Did she need something? It was driving me insane. So, after the rest of the Flock went to bed, I snuck back inside her room.

Max looked truly beautiful. She was bathed in a soft, glowing light, and looked quite saintly. She took my breath away. I crept soundlessly, a talent that Max always seemed to hate, and knelt next to her on the bed, and shyly stroked her cheek. She didn't wake, so she was still unconscious.

"Oh, Max." I sighed, "If only you knew how I felt about you. If only I could tell you…" I leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, and left the room to have another dream-filled night of Max.


	5. Love And A Face From the Past

**Disclaimer: sorry people! I've been writing a really long (and agonizingly stupid) essay for school. Anyway, here's chapter 5 of Stalker. Review review review!! Let's try to make it to 50!! Wooohooooo!!! **

**Warning: FAX (rating is PG) **

**Fang's Prov**

When I first woke up, the world was spinning and everything was hazy. And first I was vaguely freaked out by this; and managed to fall out of my bed and get tangled up in my sheets. Luckily no one saw it, so I didn't have to avoid anyone out of humiliation.

After a few minutes of looking at the ceiling, I glanced over at the clock. _Holy crap! It's already noon!! _I struggled to pull some jeans on over my black boxers and ran down the stairs. I was skidding into the kitchen, when something I saw made me stop. There was a note on the counter addressed to me. I opened it and read quietly to myself.

_Fang-_

_The rest of the Flock and I went out to take Gasman and Angel for clothes shopping. It'll take a while, as I want them to look FABULOUS!! Unfortunately they won't let me do makeovers on them…I wonder why? Please take care of Max while we're gone. The doctor said she'd be waking up by now, and her wounds are almost gone, except for that broken arm. That might take a while…anyway, see you in about four hours. _

_Nudge_

"I think they made the right decision by not letting you do makeovers on them." I smiled to myself as I read her note. I put it back down where I had found it, and was about to reach for the fridge to make myself breakfast/lunch when I heard light footsteps outside of the kitchen door.

"Fang!" yelled an overjoyed voice from behind me. I wheeled around and saw Max, standing there with happiness radiating from all around her.

"MAX!" I attacked her with a huge bear hug.

"Ahhh…ahh…ahh…" she pulled away in pain, "watch the arm!" I blushed.

"Sorry…" but her face brightened, already forgiving my mistake.

"Come here, you!" she ran into my arms, and I embraced her, but not as tightly as I had before.

"Oh, Fang…" she mumbled into my ear, "I thought I would never see you again!" I felt her newly shed tears trickling down my neck. I wrapped my arms around her back and pulled her into a warmer embrace. I rested my chin on her head, and sighed. This felt so good.

"I swear, Max, I won't ever let anybody hurt you again…not now, not ever." And I kissed her cheek. I immediately pulled my head away, and blushed…again.

"Sorry…I got kind of carried away.." I looked down into Max's face and saw that she was smiling.

"Don't worry, Fang, I didn't mind. It was just a brother/sister type kiss…right?"

"Right." I replied hesitantly, lying profoundly, but hating every minute of it. I offered her some food and she took it gratefully. After a few hours of eating together I started to notice something. Whenever I turned my gaze somewhere else in the room, I felt her staring at me. But whenever I would look back at her, she would look away. What was going on? Could she possibly feel the same way? Many questions filled my mind.

**One Hour Later**

I was reading comfortably in my room, having just helped Max into her bed. She was still weak and needed some rest. She hadn't wanted to, but I insisted. I didn't want her to be vulnerable, especially with a stalker around the neighborhood. I was just about to start the 23rd chapter in _To Kill a Mockingbird_ when I heard her calling me from her room. I rushed in to see what the matter was and to help her in any way I could.

"Max, what's wrong?" I asked. She had an adorable little pout on her face, and I couldn't help but smile at her. She was just so cute when she did that!

"I hurt."

"Where do you hurt, Max?" alright. I admit it. I would gladly play her little game.

"Here." She pointed stubbornly at her cheek.

"Would you like me to kiss it and make it better?" I was kidding, but I didn't expect her answer.

"Yes." Said Max, and I saw a small smile appear on her delicate lips. I bent down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Where else does it hurt?" I asked again. She pointed at her forehead.

"here." I kissed her there too, enjoying every minute of it. When I finished, I was next to her on the bed, and we were so close that I could hear her heart racing.

"Where else does it hurt?" I whispered. Max paused, and them pointed at her lips.

"Here." And then, without even hesitating, I kissed her on the lips. After a few minutes of kissing, we pulled away reluctantly, our faces flushed.

"I love you." I murmured in her ear, making her shiver.

"I love you too." And I curled up next to her, and tucked her into my waiting arms. We were both about to fall asleep when a noise made both of us jump, coming from Max's phone that was on her bedside table.

"**You have received one text message from an anonymous contact."**

A cold wave of fear went through me. The stalker was back, and this time he wasn't giving up.


	6. Supposed Safety

**A/N: OMG. I am sooo freakin' sorry I haven't written anything in such a long time! I was in Mexico…sorry to keep you waiting! Anyway, here's chapter six. IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME!**

**Setting:**** somewhere in the beginning of the third book. Itex is still strong, and a threat…**

**Warning: **

**Max's Prov**

"**You have received one text message from an anonymous contact." **

My phone rang optimistically. All blood seemed to drain from my body. It was happening again. 

"Fang…" I whispered. I felt him shiver and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a tight embrace. 

"I won't let him get you." He said strongly. "I lost you once, and I'm not loosing you again." 

"Fang…?" I asked. "Could you at least check to see what the message says?" 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes. Please." He sighed, but didn't say anything to me. I could tell he didn't want to read the message, to stay in blessed ignorance, but he still got up and crept up the phone and picked it up in his palm. He suspiciously flipped it open. As he read the message, a small smile crept over the face and he let out a sigh of relief. 

"Hey, Max. Guess what? Angel sent this text. They lost their cell phones and just wanted to say that they'd be home later than what they expected." I started breathing again. 

"Thank God!" I exclaimed gleefully. Maybe the stalker had actually given up…maybe I didn't have to worry anymore!

Fang padded on back to the bed and sat next to me. He reached out and started stroking my hair. 

"I think that he gave up, Max. You're going to be safe, don't worry. You don't have anything to worry about anymore." At the sound of his soothing voice, my eyelids started to droop, and I let out a small yawn. 

"You get some sleep, Max," Fang continued, "I'll wait for the flock downstairs." And with that, Fang quietly lifted himself off the bed and turned the lights off. I heard him leave the room, and I fell asleep surrounded by the calming darkness of the room. I was going to be safe.

Or so I thought.


	7. Itex

**A/N: okay, people, here's chappie 7 of the story. Enjoy…and please review! Let's make it to 100! **

Dr. Bjorn Chimre watched the computer screen anxiously, and smiled in a way that would send shivers down anyone's back. He was not an enjoyable man, as anyone who met him could tell. He didn't have friends; he frightened them all away. Either that or they "vanished" mysteriously. His features were much larger than normal, and on his face there was always an unpleasant scowl or smirk. He was filled with loathing and greed, and was also the head of Itex. At this very moment in particular, he was monitoring Itex's current project; one that involved a certain Avian/Human hybrid. 

"Agent 19658! Get in here now!" he yelled angrily, with spit flying out of his putrid mouth. At his command, in rushed a man with blood-shot eyes and stubble all over his face. Dr. Chimre turned his attention from the computer currently sitting on his mahogany desk to the man he had just called into his office.  
"I am very dissatisfied in you, agent." He spoke threateningly, "you failed you mission. You didn't get the mutant girl." 

"I tired, Dr. Chimre, but then she escaped and ran out onto the road, and I tried to get her back but--"

"Enough! I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. All I ever hear from you is 'I tried'. Can't you do something useful?"

"Well, I--" replied the man. The Doctor's face split into a cold and evil smile.

"That was a rhetorical question, agent. And unfortunately that was the wrong answer, anyway." The agent gulped, already noticing his fatal mistake. Dr. Chimre continued on, though, pleased at the fear he had evoked into his subject. 

"Guards!" he yelled. In walked two Flyboys, their red eyes gleaming; no doubt very hungry for fresh meat. 

"Take this agent away." Spoke the evil Sr. Chimre, "He has failed me, and now he must pay the price." The doctor smiled coldly. "I want you to kill him." 

"No! Please, Dr. Chimre, have mercy! Please! Please don't have them kill me!" screamed the doomed agent. Dr. Chimre looked at him with contempt. 

"Get this scum out of my site." The Flyboys picked up the still screaming agent and dragged him out of the room. Dr. Chimre heard the screams go down the hallway, and out into the execution field. The screams got louder, and then he heard a loud BANG. The screams immediately stopped, and there was silence. The Doctor chuckled spitefully, and he called in another Flyboy. 

"Guard, did the agent by any chance get the girls phone number and home address?" he asked.

"Yes. We took it from Agent 19658 before he was terminated." Replied the Flyboy emotionlessly. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, splattered with fresh blood. 

"May I have the information please?" the Flyboy handed the papers to Dr. Chimre, who took them gladly. The doctor dismissed the Flyboy and started to read the address, when an evil smile dominated his face.

"Now what do we have here? Ms. Maximum Ride." As he continued reading, he noticed that the home address was only located a few hours away from one of Itex's secret locations.

"Well, well, well, Ms. Ride." He chuckled maliciously, "I think we should pay you a visit. And this time," he paused. "There will be no mistakes." 


	8. No one is going to stop me

**A/N: here's yet another chapter of Stalker. I was actually thinking of discontinuing it, but maybe I won't…I'd love to hear you feedback on it. Thanks so much for reviewing! **

I woke up to loud whispers hovering around my bed, and one distinctive voice that I knew belonged to none other than my Motor-Mouth sister, Nudge. 

"Is she awake? Because if she'd awake that would be really great because I haven't seen her awake in, like, a couple of days and I would be really happy to see Max 'cause, y'know, she's like my sister and I love her like a sister and don't get me wrong, but I love all of you like family but, y'know, Max is, like, special because she always takes care of us and is the leader and I don't know what we'd do without Max—OWCH!" Nudge's ranting was brought to an end by one of Gazzy's pinches. 

"Nudge! Be quiet!"

"What if I don't wanna?"

"Well that's too bad!" 

"Who made you the boss of me?"

"I DID!"

"THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!" 

"Why don't you just go settle this outside?" Iggy suggested. Gazzy and Nudge gave each other glares, but then went out into the hallway to continue their argument. _I'm glad that's over, _I thought to myself.

"Max is glad that's over." I smiled under the covers. Angel was at it again, reading my mind. I should really be thankful that she wasn't controlling it. I yawned, and shifted out of my cocoon of covers to great the day. 

"Hey, people!" I smiled optimistically. 

"Max!" they all screamed, and attacked me with hugs. I remembered to say a quick 'thank you' for my ability to heal quickly, or else my arm would really be hurting right now.

The Gasman and Nudge came bounding in, noticing that I was awake. Soon Iggy, Angel, Nudge and Gazzy were all piled on top of me and giving me plenty of hugs. 

"Alright, guys, that's…enough…hugging…" I struggled against their weight. 

"C'mon, people. Give her some air." I jerked my head around, looking for the source of the voice. Sure enough, there was Fang standing in the shadows.

"Uhhh…Iggy? Can you go make breakfast, please?" 

"Sure." Iggy pulled himself off of my bed, and walked out of the room; with half of the flock following. Soon only Fang and I were left. 

"Did you sleep okay?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah. I slept…fine." God, this was awkward. 

"I missed you." I couldn't help but laugh.

"But I was only across the hallway, Fang!" 

"I know…but--" I heard Iggy call Fang's name from downstairs. Fang sighed, not wanting to leave. 

"Well, anyway…" he continued, "bye." He winked, and then flashed me one of his rare and beautiful smiles while leaving the room to go help Iggy downstairs. I realized I was trembling.

"Damn," I said to myself. "What that boy can do to me…" I smiled, and laughed; and then went downstairs to get some food. 

**ITEX SECRET HEADQUARTERS**

Dr. Chimre glanced at the screen, noting what had just happened. 

"It seems that Ms. Ride has an attraction to that boy. What is his name again…? Fing? No, wait, Fang. That's it…Fang." His lips curled into a chilling smile. 

"I can't wait to see his reaction when we get a hold of that mutant girl." He looked at the computer screen again. Maximum Ride had just come back into her room with a plate of toast.

"Eating breakfast in bed, are we?" the doctor scribbled something down in his notebook. He looked at the screen again. Now the girl was asleep. He heard a car start up in the distance, and out of the window he could see five winged kids getting in it. _How stupid these kids are,_ he thought to himself. _Leaving her all alone? How unfortunate. If only they knew we chose today to pay a little visit…they wouldn't be leaving the house, now would they?_Dr. Chimre started laughing, and he just couldn't stop.

**MAX'S HOUSE---THREE HOURS LATER**

I was about to jump out of the window. I hadn't flown in a really long while, and I was anxious the stretch my wings. I closed my eyes, and fell. At the last moment I pulled up, and went soaring into the sky at sonic speed. It felt so good to be back in the sky where I belonged. 

After a few minutes of soaring, I landed in an unfamiliar clearing in the middle of the woods by our E shaped house. It was dark, and only a little bit of light shined through the thick canopy of pine needles above me. All of a sudden I heard a loud rustling noise behind me. 

"Who's there?" I asked to no one. I jerked my head around, and there behind me was a man in a white lab coat. 

"Why hello there, Ms. Maximum Ride." He said with an unpleasant sneer. "You might not know me, but I know you." When he finished talking about three hundred Flyboys stepped out of the dark shadows cast by the trees; their eyes glowing feverishly and their claws itching to slit out my throat. That's great; just what I needed. A mad scientist and a couple hundred flyboys. CRAP.

Taking note of the situation, I ran to get a jump-start so I could fly. I was about to fly off and escape, but I felt a hard tug on my ankle that almost pulled me down to earth.

"GET OFF ME, BASTARD!" I screamed in frustration, and kicked the Flyboy in the face. I heard a crack, and blood started spurting from his nose and he fell back in pain. _Take that, sucker, _I thought triumphantly to myself. I was already feet ahead of the flyboys who were clumsily making their way up to me. 

"Bye, losers!" I waved to them. I started flying franticly. I was almost out of the canopy of branches. But then, something happened. There I was, about to make it out of the trees, when I head a loud bang from below. Something small hit my leg with an enormous impact, and everything went numb. I fell to earth with a thickening crash. I was surrounded by laughter, and then by darkness. Before I went unconscious, a voice growled alarmingly close to my ear.

"I've got you now, Maximum Ride. And this time no one is going to stop me." 


	9. A Friend in Danger

**A/N: OH. MY. GOD. I'm so sorry that I haven't written for so long? I've been kinda distracted… :)**** anyway, here's the (hopefully) long awaited posting of Stalker chapter 9. Oh, and I won't be posting on the weekend. I'll be in Montreal at a hockey game. GO HABS GO! Ahem. Sorry 'bout that. Anyway…please read and review! 333 **

I woke up in a dark metal cage with a raging head ache. It really felt like my head had split in two, so I reached up and felt around my scalp. Luckily, there weren't any cracks or something. Hey, you can never be too sure!

A sudden realization hit me. _Crap_. I was captured…again. Why did they always have to get me? GOD! Was I really that weak?

"Hello, Ms. Ride." I jumped at the voice. It curled unsettlingly through the thick iron bars that contained me in my own personal prison. I shivered internally despite myself, but I still managed to come back with something.

"Hello asshole."

A man chuckled and stepped out of the shadows.

"Quite the fighter, aren't me Ms. Ride? May I call you Max?"

"Not on your life." The man smiled again.

"I'm afraid that you have not had the pleasure to meet me yet, Ms. Ride." He opened the rusty cage door and walked into the cell in which I was held captive. "You see, I am--"

"Yeah, yeah yeah. I've heard it before. You're a big-shot, undercover mad scientist who plans on taking over the world using me as a secret weapon without anybody else knowing, making it impossible to stop you." I rolled my eyes and let out an exacerbated sigh. His face clouded over in anger, and I saw rage in his eyes.

"Do not underestimate my power, Ms. Ride." He spoke through gritted teeth, "my name is Dr. Chimre, and soon I will control the world." I lifted one eyebrow nonchalantly.

"Uh huh. Sure you will." In a fit of anger he charged at me, spit flying everywhere and his face red. He was going to attack me? Psh. It didn't really matter, because I was ready for him.

His pudgy hands reached for my throat, but I only laughed. Is this guy a threat? Uh, no. not really. I knocked the wind out of him with a single blow in the stomach, hearing him hit the damp floor with a large "oof!". With him out of the way, I noticed happily that he left the cell door wide open. _Idiot. _I sprinted out into the dark hallway. I waited for sounds of angry Flyboys to come echoing down the corridor. None came. _This is too easy! _I thought to myself, and continued down the hallway in the pursuit of freedom.

"STOP!" bellowed a voice directly behind me. _FLYBOYS! _I kept on running.

"STOP NOW, MAXIMUM RIDE! WE HAVE FANG!" I skidded to a halt, and spun around. Now I was surrounded by at least 23 Flyboys and Dr. Chimre was in the middle of the pack.

"What do you mean you have Fang?" I asked unbelievingly. I bet they were just making this all up so they could get me back under control!

"The dark-haired one. We took him the night we took you."

"Oh yeah?" I challenged, "Prove it!" Dr. Chimre's face split into an evil smile.

"But of course. Anything for Ms. Ride." A Flyboy handed Dr. Chimre a small video screen.

"This comes from the boy's cell." The Doctor flicked a switch and the screen immediately turned on. There I could see a cell. It was even worse than mine; with moldy walls and no windows. There was only a little pallet on the floor to sleep on. And, as I looked closer, there was a boy sleeping on it. He seemed to be covered in deep gashes, with blood still seeping out of them. His body was battered and bruised, and his dark hair hung in locks on his pale forehead. There was no doubting it.

"Fang…" I whispered with tears in my eyes. How could they do this to him?

"obviously you don't like to see the boy get hurt. Let's just say that if you escape from here or leave your confinement, he dies."

"You wouldn't dare." Dr. Chimre smiled again, and whispered commands to a nearby Flyboy. The Flyboy ran down the hallway and into an elevator shaft, where he disappeared. I glanced back at the screen. I had failed to notice the arrival of two men in white lab coats in Fang's cell. They were holding sharp, glistening knifes. They walked over to where Fang was sleeping, and positioned their knifes at his bloody throat, ready to kill him.

"No!" I choked.

"One move, Ms. Ride, and you get to see Fang killed right in front of his very eyes. After what seemed like an eternity, I spoke.

"Alright."

"Alright what?"

"I'll stay here."

"Good. Now guard, take this mutant freak back to where she belongs." And then he whispered, making sure that I could hear it, to the guard standing next to him.

"And make sure she doesn't see sunlight for a very. Long. Time."


	10. Author's Note: I Need Your Help!

A/N: hey people

**A/N: hey people. Sorry about making a different chapter for this authors note, but I really need some help. I was just wondering…would you mind if I deleted my story "Escape" (I don't want to finish it) and use parts from it in chapter 10 of "Stalker"? I really need some advice!! **

**Thanks, **

**Habs :) **


	11. He Can't Remember

**A/N: hey reviewers! I'm so happy to say that this story has now over 3,000 reads and 105 reviews. Let's make it to 200! WOOHOO!! I'd to thank you guys for making it possible. Anyway, on a different note, this chapter has some bits from "Escape", and I added some of that plot to this plot. I hope you like it!**

**Advertisement: oh please oh please oh please read my new fanfic called "Love is Blindness". It's a songfic! It's figgy! HUZZAH! So please, when you're done with this, R&R Love is Blindness. Thanks!**

**Dr. Chimre's POV**

_It will only be a short while until the mutant boy wakes up, _I thought to myself. While he was asleep we had done various tests on him, and I just couldn't wait until we could see the results. An evil smile spread across my face. _Let's just say he won't remember that much… _

**Fang's POV**

I woke up from a fitful sleep. My body ached all over, and I couldn't move. I was drenched in a cold sweat, and I didn't know where I was. _Where am I? Who am I? _I desperately asked myself. I couldn't remember a single thing. _What's my name? Holy crap! I can't remember my name… _Everything was so confusing.

After a few minutes I started to get my strength back. I pushed myself up on my shoulders, and looked around. I felt something heavy on my back_…what…?_ _WINGS!?_

"I have freaking WINGS!?" I exclaimed. "What the hell!?" my yells grabbed the attention of three men outside the cell I was sitting in. they were dressed in white lab coats, and had digital cameras and fancy looking equipment everywhere, monitoring my every move.

I glanced around at my surroundings. It was much like a jail cell, except everything was a dull gray color. I tried to look behind me to see if there was a window, but a sharp pain sped through my body like fire. I glanced down, and noticed why. There were jagged claw marks running down my arms, torso, and legs. Dried blood was covering me, and it looked like my deep wounds had stopped bleeding about an hour ago. _What _had I been _doing_ last night?

Just then I heard a voice eco over an intercom.

"_Send the girl in now._" it said in a bored tone. _Wait, what girl? What's going on? _I asked myself. But just as I started to contemplate these thoughts, the cell door opened and in rushed a girl of about fourteen years…her eyes sparkling and her dirty blonde hair streaking behind her. My first thought on the matter? _Damn, she's hot. _

"Oh, Fang!" she yelled as she threw her arms around me. "I'm so glad you're okay! I've been so worried…" Now I was seriously frightened. Who was this strange girl, and why was she hugging me? And why did she call me Fang? _What kind of a name is Fang!? _

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I stammered as I slowly backed away from her with some difficulty due to my wounds, "I don't know who the heck you are, but please just stay away from me." Her thrilled expression turned to confusion.

"But Fang, we're best friends. I'm Max, remember?"

"Look, I don't know anybody named Max."

"Yes you do--"

"NO I DON'T!" my anger was rising. She kept insisting that she knew me, and I knew her, that her name was Max and my name was Fang, and, on top of all that, I had freaking wings! What was going on here?!

"But don't you remember the Flock?" she continued, "Iggy? Gasman? Nudge? Angel…?" she paused. "Me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"But Fang--"

"I'M NOT FANG!" I yelled, "Why don't you just keep the hell away from me? I'll stay on my side and you stay on yours. Okay? Okay." Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Oh Fang, What did they do to you?"

And with that, she ran back out of the cell. But then something she said got me thinking…what if I'm just not myself anymore?

I saw the girl run outside the cell. Immediately she was seized by men in white coats, along what seemed to be wolf/human/robot things…if that was even possible. They pulled her back into the cell and pushed her onto the ground. She looked up at me, her eyes shinning with tears.

_"We're not done testing. Let them have more time." _Boomed the voice on the loud speaker again. The girl, Max, and I were both quiet for a minute.

"What is this place? Who are those people?" I asked confusedly. Max's voice was shaky and she spoke slowly, while looking at the cold cement floor apprehensively.

"They're scientists. White coats. They created you and me. They're testing us and our behavior. After they're done, when they don't need us anymore, I don't know what will happen."

"This is one whacked out dream." I scoffed. Max turned and looked at me, her face pale.

"No. I'm sorry Fang, but it's not a dream. Everything here, everything happening right now is real. We're stuck in a secret facility belonging to an evil company named Itex."

"Yeah right. You most likely don't even exist! I'm probably at home, sleeping peacefully in bed dreaming this whole thing up. And when I wake up, you'll just disappear. Because you're a dream." Of course, I knew this wasn't a dream. A dream couldn't be this vivid. Max sighed, still looking at the floor, and berried her head in her hands. I could make out a few muffled sentences of what she said.

"You're the same old Fang. Stubborn. Impossible. And that's why I love you."

"WHAT!?" I asked. We had just met!

"Never mind." She said forlornly as she stood up, "you don't even know who I am." And she walked out of the cell, and was grabbed by white coats.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled as they dragged her off somewhere, no doubt probably for more tests. I heard a slap sound and she shrieked in pain. My face reddened in anger. I hate the white coats. I'm going to get out of here.


	12. The Girl

**Disclaimer: Hola! Bonjour! WOOHOO! Ahem. Sorry 'bout that. Anyway, here's chappie….what, 11? 12? sigh...How time flies when you're writing stories about stalkers and abduction and whatnot. **

**warning: slight violence and blood **

Fang opened his eyes but closed them quickly closed then when a sharp brightness blinded him. When he sensed, through closed eyelids that the light was fading, he opened his eyes again. The brilliant sapphire-colored skies above him filled him vision, not a cloud to be seen. He rolled from his back and used shaky arms to push his tingling body upright. In the distance, a cluster of cheerful-colored buildings broke the span of flat, empty plains or perfectly green grass.

"Where am I?" he said, but frowned at his utterly stupid comment. _Very original, Fang,_ he thought as he tried to remember the immediate past, or for that matter - any past.

Fang's surroundings were perfect; a bit too perfect in Fang's opinion. Everything looked like it should be in a fairy tale. All of a sudden Fang heard a rustling behind him. He spun around, expecting to see a monster, except there wasn't anything there.

"Who's there?" he asked. A giggle sufficed, and a beautiful girl came out of a bush. She had medium length hair, dazzling brown eyes and a charming smile.

"Hi Fang." She smiled sweetly. She walked up to him and kissed him on the lips. Fang started to push her away, but he stopped.

"Fang!" said a voice behind him. It was Max. "Don't do it, Fang! Don't fall for their trick!" He turned to look at Max, and her face was contorted into fear. Fang, sensing there was something wrong, spun back around. Instead of the beautiful girl, there was a machine-type wolf with gleaming red eyes. Behind it, there were men in white lab coats.

"Time to die." Snarled the wolf, and swiftly plunged its sharp claws into Fang's chest and pulled out his heart, still beating. Blood was gushing out of the enormous hole, and was covering everything.

"AHH!!" Fang screamed, and woke up in the cell drenched in cold sweat. Frantically Fang groped around his chest, look for a hole, but he didn't find one. He lay there panting for a while, frightened by his dream.

"Whew…" he gasped, "It was…just…a dream…" and he shakily laid himself back onto the cot where he was sleeping.

As Fang tried to fall asleep, a gnawing feeling kept his mind preoccupied. What if this dream had been a premonition of what was to come? What did it mean? And Max was there, warning him not to fall for the white coat's trick. With a mind jam-packed of thoughts, Fang finally managed to fall asleep.

**The Next Morning**

A loud noise made Fang wake up out of a fitful sleep. It was morning now, and a small sliver of light streamed in through the cell's small window; giving off the only light.

"Alright, let her in." a voice boomed. The door to Fang's cell creaked open, and in walked a beautiful girl with had medium length hair, dazzling brown eyes and a charming smile. Fang was silent for a moment, wondering where he had seen this girl before.

"Hi Fang." She smiled sweetly.


	13. Help Me

**A/N: oh my freaking God. Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I've been busy…and lazy…but what else is new?? Anyway, I've decided to do a big twist in the story. Can you guess what it is…? Hmm?? Anyway, just clearing this up, the erasers in this chapter are NOT the robot ones. Okay?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. James Patterson does, and boy am I glad about that.**

**Max's POV**

I'm in the dark again. I wish the light hadn't left. At least there was some hope in the light.

In the darkness, there's nothing.

A constant rumbling. A few rough bumps. Loud, harsh music blaring, although muffled.

I'm in the trunk of a car. No wonder it's so dark.

I panic, knowing that within minutes, the air will begin to thin and I'll be suffocated. But… it subsides. I can breathe, though difficult, through some cracks in the trunk/backseat divider.

But that doesn't brush the reality of death any further from my mind.

How can I escape a situation like this?

There are four of them. One scientist in a white coat, and three erasers; one of which was a female. The breasts were a bit of a clue, but with this type of a crowd, who could be too sure?

My jaw aches from where the tall one first hit me. I'm not sure if it's broken, but it feels shattered. My mouth tastes like blood and crushed tissue.

The tire iron left a golf ball-sized welt sprouting from the side of my right cheek. It's so swollen now that I can hardly open my eye and don't try to.

I can't stop screaming at myself.

Silently, of course. Opening my mouth would be too hot of a pain to bear.

If only I would have run! …

I'd been in my cell as usual, trying to think up a plan to save Fang and get the hell out of here.

I could immediately tell that trouble was brewing. Don't ask me why, it must be some funky avian thing.

Why had I stayed?

What sort of insane thoughts had convinced me not to flee, or at least to fight with all of my strength?

I wish I could remember. Somehow, being able to know why I had would have made this easier to stand.

Not that it really matters now.

I hadn't run, so I'd been grabbed from behind and asked to follow without any trouble. Of course, I would have agreed…if I was stupid.

But I really did try to escape. I think I might have broken the jaw of one of the scientists judging by the loud cracking sound that came when I kicked him in the face. But then again, when you've got a straight-razor against your back, breaking evil scientist's jaws isn't really all that important any more. If you ever find yourself in a situation like that, I'd assure you.

"Look at who we have here!" the female Eraser had sneered in my face.

She'd leaned in close against my face; fresh blood emanating from her mouth was enough to make me gag. She'd then smiled (I've never seen anything uglier in my life and probably never will) and laughed.

"We could have some fun with this one. What do you say, Cor? Can we keep him?"

The one who appeared to be the gang leader looked up grinned evilly.

"Of course."

That's when my flight instinct finally kicked in. I'd wrenched myself from the Eraser's arms, careful to put as much distance between my back and the blade as humanly (or avianly?) possible, and dashed.

I'd caught them all off-guard and scrambled toward the door.

I'd almost made it, too. So close… my fingers were on the bars… I'd never seen him coming.

The one whom I assumed was leader slammed into my side. Hard. We crashed into the heavy, steel door.

The tire iron had smashed into the side of my face a split second later.

But as we'd broken the door, the alarm had started to blare. I heard a scientist speak.

"Do what you want with her."

Though the red-fuzzy filter covering my senses of sight, smell, and touch, I could feel my body being lifted. Carried…

And I've been here ever since.

I wonder what they're going to do with me.

I probably won't make it, will I?

_Why didn't you run? _

I've already prayed. I prayed until my tongue went numb.

I've never prayed with so much meaning behind every word.

People say that it takes a near-death experience for you to really grasp how much you value your life.

I know that I've never cared about anything so much.

I want to kiss Fang goodbye one more time. I want to hold Angel. I want to sing. I want to drink coffee. I want to wake up early and realize that it's still a good two hours before my alarm goes off. I want to call Iggy a fairy one more time and get kicked in the shin for it.

One more time.

Surely, it isn't asking too much?

I feel the motion begin to slow, then stop.

Their voices grow louder.

_You should have run! _

The door is open. The night is cold. I'm being lifted, the rusty squeal of a door opening rattles through the space between my ears. The smell of damp, musty air clogs my nostrils. The smell of bad air. Old air that reeks of horrors long-since committed. I jump, much to their delight, as the door slams shut behind us.

We're in a large, abandoned, dust-coated room. We must be somewhere on the Itex property but I have no idea where. I hear their footsteps echo through the dull air, bouncing off a high ceiling.

Perhaps a warehouse. I can't open my eyes. I won't.

They drop me, face-down, on the cement floor. I groan, fresh blood filling my mouth as my teeth plow into my lips. The floor is cold. I shiver. Why am I so weak?

Someone laughs…cruelly.

"Oh, yes," the female Eraser chuckles sinisterly, probably thinking of how to kill me, "… I'm gonna enjoy this."

Her voice is nasal, teasing. She leans down next to me and I choke once again on her cologne. Her voice is loud now, ringing in my ear.

I cry out as she kicks violently into my ribs, knocking the breath from my lungs.

"There's more where that came from."

She repeats the gesture, digging her heel into my chest as I cringe.

"How 'bout that?"

The three other Erasers erupt into hysteric laughter.

I groan as my torso buzzes with pain.

The faint click of a flint chip lighter reaches my ears and the smell of nicotine soon permeates the air, spreading through the room like spilt ink down a canvas. Seeping. I cough. Blood spatters onto the floor.

This only seems to further their amusement.

I want to melt away and disappear.

They can see it, sense it. The way a rabid dog can smell the secretions of fear on its former owner's neck before leaping forward to rip his throat out.

I hear thudding, heavy footsteps next to my face. Finally, I open my eyes and see the leader, who I know only as "Cor" (the other's had been calling him that) standing over me.

I can tell he's smiling although a large amount of wolfish hair is covering his moth and shadows hide his face.

He takes a deep drag of his cigarette then squats down.

"Having fun yet?"

I don't know how to reply, but before I can, he's taken the cancer stick from his mouth and is grinding the butt into the side of my neck.

I pull back, cringing as the odor of smoke and burning skin hits my blood-soaked nose. _I will not cry…I will not cry….I will not cry…  
_  
But I can't stop my eyes from watering.

The others follow his example and soon, four bright focal points of hot pain are all I can feel. A smear of scorching ash along my arm, on top of my eyelid. Coals being ground into the palm of my hand…

I should have run.

Sobs crack the silent fortress of my throat.

_No! _

Finally, the heat is gone. Glass shatters in the distance.

They're still laughing. I curl defensively, trying to shield myself from the humiliation and the pain that's already there and the pain that I know is to come.

I just want to go home…

I just want to see the Flock again…

I just want to see Fang and tell him that I love him…

Please…

I should have run while I still could…

One of them is flicking out a switchblade now.

I whimper.

… Should have… run…

… Somehow run away now…

I can feel him coming closer.

… Someone

... Help me…

* * *

**wow. I think that was a pretty good chapter on my part. poor Max!! What do you think??  
**

**What do you want to see happen next?**

**READ AND REVIEW to tell me!**

**cheers,**

**Habs :)**

* * *


	14. Déjà vu

**A/N: whew! This is a fast update for me. Anyway, here's chapter…14? Yeah. Chapter 14 of stalker. Hope ya'll enjoy. READ and REVIEW please!! Let's make it to 200. Please? Sorry it's so short. The next one will be longer...I'm almost done with it. Enjoy!  
**

**Fang's POV**

"Hi Fang." She smiled sweetly. I didn't say anything at first. There was something not right about her, but I couldn't tell what it was. She was just too…too perfect. It was unnatural.

"Hi Fang." She repeated, and started walking towards me, smiling a dazzlingly bright smile that nearly blinded me.

"W-who are you?" I asked. She giggled at my question.

"You don't know, silly. It doesn't even matter anyway." She sauntered up to me until her face was only an inch away from mine. _Her eyes are amazing…No! Stay focused, Fang, stay focused…_

I suddenly realized that she was leaning up to kiss me. For a second I thought that was a good thing…and then I remembered my dream from last night.

'_A giggle sufficed, and a beautiful girl came out of a bush. She had medium length hair, dazzling brown eyes and a charming smile. "Fang!" said a voice behind me. It was Max. "Don't do it, Fang! Don't fall for their trick!" I turned to look at Max, and her face was contorted into fear., sensing there was something wrong, I spun back around. Instead of the beautiful girl, there was a machine-type wolf with gleaming red eyes. Behind it, there were men in white lab coats. _

"_Time to die." Snarled the wolf, and swiftly plunged its sharp claws into my chest and pulled out my heart, still beating. Blood was gushing out of the enormous hole, and was covering everything.'_

That girl who called herself Max had tried to warn me…

"NO!" I yelled, and pushed the girl, causing her to fall on the floor. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

She lay on the floor for a few seconds, and at first I had wondered if my dream meant anything at all…

…and then I saw her move slightly, and get back up. Her usually pretty face was contorted in anger; her brows pushed so far together that they were casting menacing shadows onto her face.

"You made the wrong choice, Fang." She smiled cruelly, "And now you're going to pay."

My mouth hung open in horror as I watched her slowly transform from a human to a wolf type creature before my eyes.

"You're coming with me," she paused, "to see the boss." All of a sudden three other wolf things came through the cell door and grabbed hold of my arms while I fought against their power.

"N-no! Get…off of me!" I struggled against their furry arms, until finally I felt a heavy object make contact with the back of my head. Everything went black and I crumpled to the floor, and soon I felt myself being carried to an unknown destination.


	15. Escape

**A/N: here's another chapter. Yey…review! PLEASE! It's long! **

**Disclaimer: minor cursing, lots of violence and blood, yadayadayada…all that jazz**

**Fang's POV**

When I finally woke up, I found myself in what seemed to be an office of some sort. It was dark; with what looked like mahogany wood paneling and lots of scientific books and beakers littering the desk that was in front of me. The only source of light came from the fire in the brick fireplace behind the desk. There was also a large chair facing the fire, and I could see feet protruding from it. Someone was there.

"Greetings Fang." A voice spoke, making me jump. "I'm so glad you could join me. You see, I have been waiting ever so long to meet you properly. When I knocked you out with the butt of my riffle it didn't qualify as a real introduction." He chuckled darkly.

I made the assumption that this was not a man to be reckoned with.

Turns out, I was right.

"Now Fang," he continued, "My faithful guards have told me that you resisted that lovely girl. Why is that?"

"Because I'm not an idiot." I snarled back at him.

"Getting testy, are we?" he asked, and he swiveled around in his chair so that he was facing me. "You should learn to control your emotions, Fang. It's not good to keep things bottled up…" His voice made the hairs on my neck stand up. I didn't like him. I didn't like him at all.

"Shut up." I said darkly.

He made a _tisk-tisk-tisk_ noise at me with his tongue. "I'm afraid that sense you won't behave, we'll just have to correct your behavior, shall we?" I saw him press a red button on his desk and what looked like an electric chair (or at least it was modeled after the electric chair) sprung from the floor where I was standing. The two guards who were standing behind me strapped me into it. I couldn't breathe. My captor stood up, and pulled out a shiny steel knife out of his pocket and ambled towards me. The knife was so close to my throat that I could feel it's cold, steel blade about to puncture my skin.

I tried not to panic inside.

Be strong. Be strong.

Don't let him win.

So I stood my ground...but not like I had a choice to move anyway. I had to be careful, however. Too much arrogance and he'd crush me like a gnat.

It was deathly quiet in the room, except for the ticking of the Grandfather clock over in the corner. I listened to each tick. Knowing that with each one, the man would be getting more and more furious, more twisted in his thinking. The force would be building up within him.

Becoming stronger and stronger.

I knew if I let it continue he'd explode. But one word, one word from me would be like a spark to a gun powder keg.

I drew in a steadying breath, waiting for him to say something, until he finally did.

"Do you know Max?" he asked.

"I met her once."

"What did she say to you?" he continued asking, and I could see the maniacal glint in his dark eye. I paused for a moment, recalling our conversation that day…

**Flashback**

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa," I stammered as I slowly backed away from her with some difficulty due to my wounds, "I don't know who the heck you are, but please just stay away from me." Her thrilled expression turned to confusion._

"_But Fang, we're best friends. I'm Max, remember?" _

"_Look, I don't know anybody named Max."_

"_Yes you do--"_

"_NO I DON'T!" my anger was rising. She kept insisting that she knew me, and I knew her, that her name was Max and my name was Fang, and, on top of all that, I had freaking wings! What was going on here?! _

"_But don't you remember the Flock?" she continued, "Iggy? Gasman? Nudge? Angel…?" she paused. "Me?" _

"_I don't know what you're talking about!" _

"_But Fang--"_

"_I'M NOT FANG!" I yelled, "Why don't you just keep the hell away from me? I'll stay on my side and you stay on yours. Okay? Okay." Her eyes welled up with tears. _

"_Oh Fang, What did they do to you?" _

**End Flashback**

"She said…we were…best friends…but we can't have been. I don't know her!" The man chuckled darkly again.

"What?" I asked, not knowing what he was laughing at.

"Nothing…nothing at all." He smiled eerily.

"Tell me, Fang…" he asked, while fingering the knife that was still at my neck, "How do you feel about her?"

Well…that was a different question.

"Well, let's rephrase that, shall we?"

"Um…okay."

"How would you feel…if I killed her?"

There was silence.

Once again, he was playing his games.

Building up the tension. I was panicking inside.

If only I could run away…

The silence stretched out before us. I tried to figit, but I couldn't move.

The silence lengthened.

What could he want?

"Well?" he asked again when I didn't answer.

Think of something. Think of something to say. For God's sake think of something.

But I couldn't.

He'd caught me off guard.

And anyway, whatever I said would be wrong.

I thought of Max then, somewhere, where ever she was.

The man turned his head to look at me straight in the eyes. Even at this calm he terrified me. Those eyes of his. Those dark, narrowed eyes with their heavy bags underneath. That huge nose with the hairs coming out of each nostril. He made me sick to look at him.

"Well?" he breathed, his gaze deadly on me like some snake watching it's prey, waiting for it to move before it struck.

I pulled in a deep breath. Ok, this is it.

"I would personally make sure that your pathetic life became your own living hell." I sneered in a sudden burst of confidence.

He nodded his head.

"How would you feel if I killed you?" he smiled in a sinister way. He took the knife away from my throat and slowly made his way back to his seat, leaving me to think.

Think.

"I wouldn't care, because you're a sadistic creep who gets satisfaction in tormenting innocent people just so you can feel better about yourself, bastard."

The instant I said it I regretted it.

He was out of his seat in a split second, catching me across the face, the impact of it making me bang my head against the metallic back of the chair.

The pain exploded. I thought I'd lost teeth. For all I knew what he was capable of, it still came as a shock.

"You'll pay for that, you dirty little mutant." he was towering over me now.

I could taste the irony and unpleasant flavor of blood in my mouth. Already the soft skin of my gum was swelling.

Out of my anger I broke the ropes that were constricting me to the chair, and I was free.

Free, that is, to kick butt.

But, unfortunately, it didn't quite happen that way. He was much stronger and taller than me. He lifted me forcibly off my feet, his face so close he was almost touching mine. I tried to push at his shoulders but they were like a brick wall underneath my hands. I didn't have the room to be able to get a good shove at him so I twisted and thrashed but he held me easily, crushing my upper arms in his grasp. Then in his anger he flung me to the ground. Why was he so strong?

"You and your little mutant friend Max. She's a looser, and a coward." He yelled angrily. "I think it ruined her when you didn't remember anything. I'm glad we brainwashed you when we did. Yes, that's right. We brainwashed you. You and Max were best friends…maybe even in love. But we don't care. Your little friend is weak."

Suddenly I was furious. The information I had just learned set me going. I was oblivious to the blood dripping from my jaw and oozing from my mouth. Oblivious to the pain in my head or the fact that I could feel my eye swelling up, and that there was probably a few teeth missing from my mouth.

"Max is twice the person you'll ever be." I spat in his face.

There.

It was out.

I'd spoken without any thought of the consequences, and I had made it worse.

The man sprung round, his face white. His breathing unsteady.

Two steps.

Just two steps was all it took for him to reach me and pull me up to my feet.

"Oh, made you brave now has she?" he snarled into my face. "Eh? Given you a tongue? You mutants are all the same. Cheap losers that don't deserve to live." He dropped me to the ground again, but then he made a sudden move towards me. I tried to make it to my knees, scrabbling at the upturned table to hoist myself up but it was too late. He tore me away from the door sending me sprawling across the floor.

"You make me sick." He spat, and I heard the door close, signifying that he was finally gone.

I pulled in a breath and sharp needle of pain shot through me causing me to gasp. I cried out and then forced myself to take tiny, mouse like breaths in order to try and limit the pain. I went to raise my head from the floor, but when I did I realized that the blood underneath my cheek had become sticky and had stuck a little to the carpet of his office. It gave way finally and for a second I felt quite nauseous at the very thought of it.

My eye felt like it was far too big for my face. It was hot and throbbing. Closed over. When I raised my hand to my forehead I felt a wetness there and knew that that too had been and still was, bleeding.. My hair was sticking to it. It hurt to pull it away from my face because it pulled on my wounds and I cried silently to myself.

I tried to calm myself. To gain some kind of composure. I had to sort myself out. I knew that the first and most important thing was to get away. To get out of the office before he had a chance to get me again.

I had to get out of there.

Quickly.

But everywhere hurt.

Every tiny movement brought about a fresh knife of pain.

Slowly, I tried to sit up.

I had to get away. But where would I go?

And then:

I would fine Max.

I had to find her, and maybe I could ask her about what the man had said.  
I collected what I could of my thoughts.

Get up.

I began very carefully to rise. It took forever. Every movement rewarded me with pain. I gave up once.

Twice.

And a third time.

But I knew I had to do it. I had to escape.

What if they came back again?

Ok.

Breathe.

I took in as deep a breath as I could and braced myself against the pain. I had to try to ignore it. If I didn't, if I stayed here, I could be in for even worse.

I gingerly pulled myself along the carpet until I could get a hand hold of the big table in the middle of the room with which to hoist myself up. It seemed such a long way off, the table. Over there, in the distance. It's black shape looming up in the darkness. But I had to reach it. I had to try to stand. To get to my feet before he returned.

When I reached the table leg I rested. My head felt like it was being banged constantly up against a wall. My eye had totally closed up. My lip, I knew, was split. Blood had crusted over on my jaw.

And right now, the way my body was protesting, I knew that I was covered in bruises and up and coming swellings. I don't know what damage he'd inflicted on me, but I knew it was bad. He must have kicked me because I felt like a horse had trampled all over my chest. It hurt to move and yet I knew I must.

So, again, I braced myself. I psyched myself up.

And I listened.

Listened to every noise and creak in the darkness. I had to be sure.

To be sure he wasn't going to come and find me.

I waited, holding my breath and then letting it out in tiny wisps trying to limit the pain.

It was still deathly quiet.

I think he's gone to inspect something.

The table proved to be much less giving then I'd thought. It fought against me. I tried so hard to hoist my way up it but the pain was too great. Instead I managed to crawl across the carpet to the door which, luckily for me wasn't closed properly. It was ajar.

Maybe he left it that way so I could escape.

Maybe he felt remorse.

Maybe he felt guilty.

Probably not.

I pulled cautiously on it and managed to open it a little. I could easily get through this gap and out into the hall.

But I would do it. I didn't care how much more damage I did to myself.

I would do it.

It was agony.

It was too much.

Then I heard a noise.

I stared in the darkness, towards the stairs and up into the blackness. My heart stopped.

The noise stopped and I heaved a tiny sigh of relief. I looked at the bolt again. I had to reach it. I had to open the door.

carefully I stretched. It hurt like hell but I wasn't going to give in. At last, holding my breath against the pain I managed to free the bolt and slide my bloodied hand down the door to unlock the catch that held it closed.

And then, I was out.

I almost fell out into the night. I slipped on the front step of his office and half crawled, half walked up the path, leaning on a gate for a second or two to brace myself against the pain again. I dared to look back at building. _Maybe I could get away…_

I went out into the street. I was still in the property of the headquarters, and I could see a huge electric fence about twenty yards away. I realized then that it was raining. That the rain was hammering down on me but I didn't care. At least I was free.

I looked across the road. The pain in my ribs was increasing. I'd probably strained myself along with everything else that was wrong with me. I held onto my side and put one foot in front of the other until I'd managed to get to the roadside, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I staggered across the road, falling onto my knees when I got to the other side. Everything protested. Every organ, every limb, even my skin shouted out for rest, for absolution. _Stop_, they all cried. _Stop. We need to stop._

I was soaked through already. But I had to go on. I had to get up there. I forced myself to stand and like a zombie from a horror film I staggered, stiffly up the lane. Soaking. Bloody. Cold. Hot. Breathless.

But I wouldn't give in. I had to get to Max. If I was found now, they'd take me back.

Them.

Those wolf things.

The wind suddenly whipped up then and the rain came down harder, making the ground very slippery. I don't know how many times I ended up face down in the mud, but I wasn't counting. I didn't care. Each painful step brought me closer to sanctuary. I had to get there. I couldn't give up, no matter how much it hurt. My head was aching, throbbing. It felt like my brain was too big for my skull, pounding and pounding on its bone walls. But I had to make it.

I tasted blood. Watery blood. The rain must be washing it away. Washing away some of the evidence. But there was some evidence it couldn't wash away.

As I clawed my way up the road; only one thought kept me going.

I must reach her. I must reach her.

I was freezing all of a sudden. I slipped up once, twice, I don't know how many times. I think my knees were cut now. Probably where I'd fallen so many times. I knew the heels of my hands were bleeding from the scraping earth and small stones that littered the dirt road. They stung like hell but I wouldn't give up.

I realized then, when I'd just managed to prevent myself from falling yet again that my vision was becoming clouded. My brain was becoming fuzzy. Something was wrong. My legs felt heavier then ever. Even my arms felt heavy and weighted. I stopped. I felt myself reel and sway. The rain beat down on my head. I was hot. Then I was cold. I felt sick and I saw the ground come up to meet me.

I lay there. In the mud. With the rain beating down on me.

I can't go any further.

I can't.

You must.

Get up! Get up now!

I tried, but my legs slipped in the mud. It was too much effort. It was too hard.

I can't.

I can't.

It's no use.

I'm so tired.

I just want to sleep.

The ground no longer seeped its cloying dampness into me. I no longer felt the rain. I still burned. My body still screamed out in protest. But I was drifting. Loosing consciousness.

One by one my senses shut down.

Until all but one remained.

My hearing.

Just before my mind cut out completely I thought I heard a loud and unpleasant voice.

"Looks like he almost got away. Bring him back and put him in a cell…maybe if we're lucky he'll die in there or on the way back."

* * *

**wow...that was an intense chapter. It took me nearly four days to write it! poor Fang...**

**Anyway, Please review so that i know that you people like this story and where it's going!**

**cheers,**

**Habs :)**


	16. What the Hell is Going On?

**A/N: here's the next chapter of stalker! WOOHOO! And I must say it certainly takes a twist… :D It's in third person…just saying. **

Max opened her eyes slowly, only to squeeze them shut again as bright light jammed like daggers into her pupils. Clenching her hands into fists, short nails digging into her palms to let her focus on another pain. It was another minute or so before she felt ready to look at the world again.

"I think she's coming back to us, doctor!" Max frowned and resumed the pretense of sleep. Something about the nurse's over excited tone made her nervous. God, she hoped it wasn't a stupid Eraser or something... Scowling, she tried to remember how she'd wound up in this hospital, which is what she assumed this place to be after all. She had the memory of being brutally attacked by Erasers, but how did she get _here_?

"Come on, Ms. Johnson," she heard a male voice beckoning her. What? Ms. _Johnson_?

Slowly, Max opened her eyes, taking care not to rush it. Her gaze fixed on the face closest to her, a tall man with kind brown eyes, a face like old leather and hair that was fading to white. He was wearing a pristine doctor's smock. The man smiled at her.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Sarah," the man said.

"Who are you?" Max asked. She moved to sit up, but was shocked to realize that she was being restrained. "Why am I tied down? Where am I? And why the hell did you call me Sarah Johnson!?"

"You don't remember anything? That's not a good sign." The man sighed deeply, but his smile didn't waver. "Let's start from the beginning, my name is Dr. McCauley and you're in the Worthington Home for the Mentally Ill."

"I'm in an asylum?" She shrieked. "There's been a mistake here. I'm not crazy!" When she saw the alarm in the doctor's eyes, she forced himself to calm down. Deciding to try and defuse the situation, a small smile caused her lips to quirk upward, "Just because I'm a mutant doesn't make me insane."

The doctor stopped smiling. "I'm afraid, Ms. Johnson, that that's exactly why you're here."

He sat in the doctor's office, clad in the plain white hospital garments, squirming in the uncomfortable wooden chair. All around him were framed diplomas and photos of what appeared to be quite a large family. A cabinet undoubtedly held files and there was an entire shelf lined with books. Maximum took in these surroundings as McCauley began to speak.

"Your parents began to worry about you during your childhood, when you were about seven or eight years old," McCauley didn't glance down at the open file on his desk; he seemed to know it thoroughly. "At first, they simply thought you had an overactive imagination, staging performances and talking to invisible audiences, and holding elaborate pretend fights."

"None of that ever happened," Max shook her head. "My childhood was nothing like that! I grew up in a scientific laboratory called The School, I'm a mutant! I don't know where you're getting your information from, but--"

"Try to remain calm, Ms. Johnson," McCauley said, dropping his voice to a level that was probably supposed to be soothing. "I'm simply trying to jog your memory. Tell me if any of this sounds familiar." This time, he did glance down at his chart. "Your family became worried when you began to dissociate yourself from them. You began to spend more and more time with your imaginary audiences rather than your real friends. It grew more and more severe until you were brought here. You were eventually diagnosed with a rare form of schizophrenia."

"This is absolutely insane," Max murmured, drawing her knees to her chest and shaking her head. "This is some kind of sick joke, isn't it? I must still be at the Itex headquarters…this is another one of their tricks, I know it…"

McCauley continued to speak, but his voice was quieter now. "Various treatments were attempted, but we lost you."

Despite himself, the confused Max glanced up. "Lost me?"

"Your delusions eventually became so intricate that your mind convinced itself that they were real. For the past six years, you've been living inside a fantasy world created by your own mind. Everything, your flock, your mission to save the world, it's all part of a very elaborate delusion caused by your illness."

"You're lying!" The light haired girl screamed, knocking down her chair in her haste to bolt to her feet. "I don't know why, but you're lying! This is absolutely insane. Let me out of this place!" Furious beyond what she'd ever believed possible, Max lunged for the 'doctor' intent on wringing the truth from him. "This is a joke, you're joking!" She repeated that as she vaulted across the desk, intent on discovering the truth. She repeated it as a number of nurses rushed in and she fought with them. Repeated it as they held her still just long enough for one of them to grab hold of her arm and inject her with a needle. She mumbled as the drugs took effect and quickly robbed her of consciousness.

**LATER THAT DAY…**

When she woke up, she was restrained again. She struggled against them for a few moments, before realizing that she was only exhausting himself. Closing her eyes, she tried to regain control of herself. If this was someone's idea of a sick joke, then she sure as hell wasn't laughing. Though for the life of her, she couldn't figure out who would be responsible for perpetrating something this ridiculous…well, besides those bastards at Itex.

Max sighed, resigned herself to staring at her bleak surroundings and it was a long time before the door to her room opened. She stared at 'Dr. McCauley' with utter contempt, lips twisting into a snarl that she hadn't thought himself capable of; merely the sight of this man made her angry.

"I apologize for rushing you earlier, Sarah," McCauley said as he pulled up a chair and sat down; Max was irritated that her hands were bound, otherwise, she'd make use of them. "I gave you too much information at once and you reacted naturally. You've been living in your own world for a long time and I didn't display proper discretion before challenging the perfect world you've created for yourself."

"Shut up," Max snapped. Distantly, she noticed how groggy she sounded and wondered just how potent those drugs they'd given her were. Until now, she hadn't felt tired. "My name is Maximum Ride."

"Ah yes, Maximum Ride, the central figure of your adventuress delusions. She's the leader of your Flock, made up of the imaginary friends of yours; Angel, Fang, Iggy, The Gasman, Nudge, Total…."

"And I'm the one whose tied down in an asylum," Max muttered under her breath, turning her head away from the man who was spouting such disgusting lies. She could no longer look at this so-called doctor. "Since you claim my entire life has been in my head, how the fuck do you know so much about it? "

"There are times when you act out your delusions," McCauley answered without missing a beat. "You hold conversations, even fights, live out weeks or months of this life you've created for yourself. All the while, you're not aware of your true surroundings. We called it being half-awake. Most of the time you're completely unresponsive to stimuli, huddled in a corner or sitting on the bed, nothing can get through to you. But there are rare times when you do awaken, if only for five minutes before you go under again."

"This is crap," Max muttered. "I don't know who put you up to this, but I swear the Flock and I…"

Dr. McCauley closed his eyes and breathed a soundless prayer of supplication for patience as his longtime patient began to murmur threats against those she perceived as responsible for her current predicament. Part of him was hopeful, this was the longest Max had been 'awake' in years and he sincerely wished that it was permanent. Yet he was also fearful. The process of explaining and subsequently expunging each layer of her delusion would be incredibly difficult and agonizing. The doctor hoped that it wouldn't send his patient right back into the depths of her fantasy world.

"Big guys storming in here and drugging me?" Max interrupted the doctor's thoughts, bitterness creeping into her tone. It seemed like just when she got her head clear, she was drugged again. "I have to tell you, Doctor," she spat out the word venomously, "This is some method of therapy you've got going. You just sit there and talk me to death and the second I do or say something wrong, I get pumped full of drugs."

"We're obviously not going to make further progress today, Sarah," McCauley said, pushing a button on his desk. Two orderlies dressed in white walked in; the singer could see one of them fiddling with something in the front pocket of his shirt and knew that it was a needle. "It's time for you to go back to your room, without sedation," he added.

As she was led away, Dr. McCauley was filled with conflicting emotions. While he was convinced that they were slowly making progress, he found himself increasingly antagonized. Granted, this was the first time Sarah had left his office without being drugged, but she was still as argumentative as ever, only he was being quieter about it.

As Max was being directed back to her hospital room, she saw two other nurses pushing a hospital bed. There was someone on it; dark hair, dark eyes, an annoyed expression. Max let out a short breath, and yelled with all her might.

"FANG!"

Fang turned around, his eyes wide with shock.

"MAX!" he yelled back, and struggled to escape his confinements. Unfortunately he was pushed back down by the two nurses who were pushing the bed.

"Now now, Mr. Kent, yelling is bad for your condition."

"MY NAME ISN'T MR. KENT! And what condition!?" Fang spat back, "I'm perfectly normal! You're the one who's crazy!" at Fang's outburst, one of the nurses pulled out a needle from her pocket and plunged it into Fang's arm. He let out a small cry of shock, and then fell limp.

* * *

**Bet you didn't see THAT one coming, did you!**

**I couldn't help myself...seriously, I had to update really quickly.**

**Don't be mad at me!**

**Please read and review and tell me what you think of the story so far!!**

**cheers,**

**Habs :)**


	17. Nudge!

**A/N: I am so so so so soooooooooooooo sorry for not updating in such a long time! I've been studying for finals.**

**Have any of you noticed that studying is 'student' and 'dying' put together?**

**I have.**

**Anyway, enjoy, and please review! I'm not writing another chapter until I get 10 or more reviews, people! MWAHAHA! Oh the joys of blackmail… **

Dr. McCauley was pleased with the progress Max was making. Though he suspected that his patient was simply saying what he wanted to hear, the doctor continued with the therapy normally. He hoped that by proceeding as he usually would that some of the words would actually sink in with her.

He'd been advised against commencing therapy so soon by the doctor who had previously handled her care, Dr Adams. He had suggested to McCauley that it would be far better to allow the patient to make the majority of the discoveries about the real world herself, rather than having the only world she'd ever really known stripped away.

However, Dr. McCauley wanted to begin right away. He didn't want his patient sinking back into her fantasy world. Which was why he had Max in his office right now, trying his best to make the girl grasp on to the reality around her, rather than the one in her head.

"Why don't we start with your umm…Flock?" McCauley suggested. He sighed harshly as he tried to recall the name. Even after three years of taking care of this particular patient it still eluded him.

"The Flock," Maximum Ride bit out; she simply couldn't handle this doctor's idiocy anymore. She began to wonder if the he was deliberately trying to irritate him. "The Flock is the name and I'm Maximum Ride and you're the one who's insane." Satisfied, she sank back into his chair, crossing her legs aggressively. Over the past few days, she'd found that she could live with the straightjacket on if she didn't try to fight it. They put it on her when she was outside of her room. Otherwise she was completely free, save for the fact that she couldn't leave her room.

"I've often suspected that this "Maximum Ride" person is exactly the type of person you'd want to be," the doctor mused. "Strong, well-liked, yet vulnerable and self critical at the same time. You continue to punish her by plaguing her with self doubt and uncertainty about who she is."

"I'm her," the Max spat, "Don't you get it? She's me, I'm her."

"On some level, you know that's not true, Sarah. You keep flagellating this character with fits of anger that make all of the others in your mind recoil from her. That and you plague her with this incredible desire to save the world and despair when she can't do it. It seems to me that you get angry at her because you're not actually one and the same."

"It seems to me," Max mocked, "That you're a moron."

"Sarah," the doctor warned harshly. "This is not a time for insults. I can understand your anger, but I must warn you that continued outbursts will lead to more--"

"Big guys storming in here and drugging me?" The angry mutant girl interrupted, bitterness creeping into her tone. It seemed like just when she got her head clear, she was drugged again. "I have to tell you, Doctor," she spat out the word venomously, "This is some method of therapy you've got going. You just sit there and talk me to death and the second I do or say something wrong, I get pumped full of drugs."

"We're obviously not going to make further progress today, Sarah," McCauley said, pushing a button on his desk. Two orderlies dressed in white walked in; Max could see one of them fiddling with something in the front pocket of his shirt and knew that it was a needle. "It's time for you to go back to your room, without sedation," he added.

As she was led away, Dr. McCauley was filled with conflicting emotions. While he was convinced that they were slowly making progress, he found himself increasingly antagonized. Granted, this was the first time "Sarah" had left his office without being drugged, he was still as argumentative as ever, only he was being quieter about it.

For all his years of psychiatry, Dr. McCauley had never found himself so irritated by a patient. He was trained to deal with a plethora of different kinds of behavior, yet Sarah Johnson (or, as she called herself, Maximum Ride) was challenging his patience. The girl was so fundamentally stubborn that McCauley began to wonder if he should consult Dr. Adams. The man had worked with her for nearly a dozen years and had been present during most of her other awakenings, no matter how brief.

McCauley shook his head, no; he didn't want to consult Dr. Adams. The man had become too close to the patient, even being woven in as a central figure of Sarah's fantasy world. Despite the fact that the good doctor was still working here, he didn't want to detract from the progress he felt he was beginning to make.

Max found that she could keep track of the passage of day and night by the procession of orderlies who came into her room. She began to tell from the bloodshot eyes and pinched faces, who worked for the nightshift and the usually cheerful faces of those who worked during the day. She'd come to find out that the orderlies didn't usually enter a person's room, but since she was restrained, they were allowed to do so.

She knew that she'd been here at least three days and was astounded that no one had come to get her out of here yet. But as Max remained patient, allowing herself to fall into the pattern of when to eat and sleep, but refusing to become complacent. She asked questions of the orderlies, scaring the hell out of them at first, made sure to keep track of the days and nights.

It was daytime now, around noon if her internal clock was still reliable. Max looked towards his door with surprise when she saw some of the guards – she couldn't help but think of them as such – enter her room. The Flock leader eyed them warily, moving so that her back was pressed against the headboard of her hospital bed.

The one who always seemed to be in charge, Brad, seemed to hold great disdain for his profession. He was always sneering as though he considered himself superior to those under his care, although care was the wrong word. At best, he tended to the people here. The only reason he knew of the other patients was because he could hear them at night, sometimes babbling incoherently, often screaming and crying out. The sounds were positively haunting.

"Good news, Sarah," Brad sneered as he raked a hand over his short cropped, pale brown hair. "Dr. McCauley has said that you can go out today."

"Out?" Max echoed as she glared at the man.

"To interact with the others. He thinks it's time for you to get used to your surroundings, your real surroundings."

The aggravated Max muttered something under her breath that was, unfortunately, just loud enough for Brad to hear. The orderly scoffed, stalked over to the bed, gripped the light-haired girl by the forearm and hauled her to his feet with unnecessary roughness. "I liked you better when you were asleep," he snarled.

The 'play room' as one of the orderlies had nicknamed it looked more like a parlor of horrors. There were round tables with benches encircling them spaced at even intervals throughout the room, about twenty in total. Seated at the benches were a mosaic of people, men and women of varying ages. All were dressed in similar white garments. A few appeared aware enough of their surroundings to hear the sound of the door opening; they looked over.

Some waved, others simply reacted to the sounds and returned to their activities, activities usually fit only for children. A few were playing with some kind of malleable grey clay and others were playing with sticks, forming them into small structures. Only one or two had access to paint and paper.

Max glanced around, but the orderlies had molded themselves to the wall, remaining quiet but conspicuous. She studied the faces of the patients and sat beside a thin blond woman, apparently in her late twenties, who was feverishly painting something, soft chuckles slipping past her thin, colorless lips.

She leaned closer, studying the paper the woman was using as a canvas. There was none of the paper's original color left and the 'painting' itself was a mass of yellow, blue and orange. It looked like a gathering of Technicolor thunderstorm clouds. She found herself gazing at it intently and could have sworn that if she held still long enough, the clouds began to move on their own, pitching and roiling at a soothing, almost hypnotic rhythm. Max shook her head, closing her eyes to clear herself of the strange image, "This place is getting to me," she murmured.

"Yeah," the replied, startling her. "It does that."

"What are you painting?" Max asked; now that she was paying attention to the artist rather than the painting, she saw how deliberate her movements were. She wasn't merely swiping at the paper randomly; the woman took her time, examining her canvas from different angles and very methodically brought her brush down upon the canvas.

When she turned to look at her, she was taken aback by the insanity in her blue/grey eyes. Her gaze was wide, but unseeing; she didn't seem to look at him so much as through her and her smile was benevolent as though she was talking to a child. "I'm painting what I see in my head."

Quite disturbed by the encounter, Max stood up and moved away from the woman the moment she turned back to her art. Not quite out of earshot, she heard the orderlies snickering and glowered at them. Max lifting her arm to flash them a rude hand gesture. Brad made as if to approach, but one of the others held him back and whispered something that appeared to calm him.

Snickering over the small victory, she turned and her jaw suddenly took on the consistency of jelly as she spotted a young girl sitting in the far corner, staring out the window. The only reason she hadn't noticed her before was that she was sitting in a darkened area.

A smile lit up Max's features as she experienced the biggest feeling of relief that she had felt in a very long time.

"Nudge!"


	18. Escape Plans

**A/N: IT. IS. BACK. (Damn right it is…) the newest Stalker chapter is here!! I was looking for something to do instead of my stupid math homework and out popped this little brain child :D Yeah. So review please! Or else I won't continue (yes, that is blackmail)**

**I think I'll start out with a little recap for all you people who haven't tuned in for a while.**

**Oh, and we're almost at the 10,000****th**** hit! YEAH!!**

* * *

_Not quite out of earshot, she heard the orderlies snickering and glowered at them. Max lifting her arm to flash them a rude hand gesture. Brad made as if to approach, but one of the others held him back and whispered something that appeared to calm him._

_Snickering over the small victory, she turned and her jaw suddenly took on the consistency of jelly as she spotted a young girl sitting in the far corner, staring out the window. The only reason she hadn't noticed her before was that she was sitting in a darkened area._

_A smile lit up Max's features as she experienced the biggest feeling of relief that she had had in a long time._

_  
"Nudge!"_

* * *

"Nudge!" I said again as my dampened soul took flight with a little flurry of hope. So many days of waiting, wondering, and sometimes thinking that maybe I _had_ dreamed up everything… was over. This had been one hell of a nightmare.

"Nudge, I'm so glad to see you!!" I yelled as I rushed over to hug my motor-mouth sister.

But as I threw my strong, scar-covered arms around her thin shoulders, I knew something wasn't right.

I expected her to hug me back.

But She didn't. She was absolutely ridged as a wooden pole.

All she did was look at me with a confused expression.

"My name isn't Nudge…"

My smile began to falter, and the hope started to fade. This could not be happening.

"But…you are…we…you--" she looked at me with pleading eyes. I followed her gaze and glanced slightly over my shoulder. The asylum guards and attendants were looking at us strangely: the guards eyebrows raised in a "what-are-you-too-crack heads-doing" kind of attitude. They snickered amongst themselves. I battled against the sudden urge to bang their heads together.

Looking back to Nudge, if she was Nudge, I realized she was trying to tell me something.

"I _said_, my name is Linda Usborne(1), and I like _flying birds_. I'm going to _watch the birds fly over the fence at 3:30 AM_ tomorrow morning and go back to their little birdy houses where their _family is worried sick_ about the poor little birdies." She annunciated everything and moved around in such a way that I knew it was Nudge. My Nudge. My crazy, small-minded, motor-mouth Nudge. I felt like crying.

Nudge knew that I had understood her 'secret message' (I was a little worried that the guards may have figured it out as well, but they had gone back to their game of cards and paid little attention to us.) That gave us the opportunity to sneak off to a secluded corner of the large room behind a stack of foldable chairs. It was dark and dusty, rarely touched. We would be safe to talk there without the worry of anyone eavesdropping.

"Oh Max!!" Nudge squealed/whispered as she practically attacked me. "We were worried sick about you and Fang…we thought that you were lost, or that you had died, or something terrible like that. but we knew that you would never let that happen to you and Fang and leave the rest of us all alone like that 'cause you're Max, and Max just doesn't do that sort of thing…but Iggy and the rest are outside and they're going to help you get out of this hell hole," I glared at her, " sorry. There's just no other way to explain it…but anyway…" and she rambled on.

After we exchanged our feelings and my gratitude that she had come to save us, she suddenly got serious.

Nudge filled me in on what the Flock had done to get themselves here. She told me about where I was, too. What I had suspected was true. I _was_ in Itex, and they _were_ trying to confuse me.

"they were trying to loosen our bonds. They think we're just animals: no ties of friendship between us." She said, shivering. " But how's Fang? Do you see him? Where is he?"

And I remembered everything. A flashback to what seemed like a lifetime ago.

_The way he looked at me, trying to remember seeing me before. The look of confusion in his dark eyes. His disgust when I had tried to hug him._ _His once kind words before we had been abducted turned to harsh words of rejection. When he backed away from me…he was filled with…fear…hate…they way he screamed at me when I insisted that he knew me. _ I closed my eyes tightly, trying to block out the nightmarish memories. I forced myself to speak. "They tried to brainwash him. They actually kinda did. But then he started to remember us…and…I haven't seen him since…" Nudge looked grave. She spoke softly.

"I think he's figured out what they do to their patients here. And the doctors realized it, and they….took him away…" I was silent for a moment.

"Wait, Nudge…what do you mean what the doctors do to the patients here?"

"No…" I replied in confusion. Nudge paused for a minute, and then grabbed my shoulders and looked square in my eyes conveying the seriousness of the situation.

"They kill them. All of them. And Fang…he's scheduled for…tomorrow." She continued to look at me, letting the information sink in until my brain finally registered it.

Suddenly there was the loud noise of about ten people with heavy boots on entering the room. Nudge and I peaked over the top of the pile of chairs we were hiding behind.

There I saw the lady, the one who was painting with the gray-blue eyes that sparkled with the un-earthly light of insanity.

"Don't take me away yet! I have to finish my painting! It's not finished! Please don't take me away!" she screamed. The men in the heavy boots and white lab coats carried off the fail little woman as she screamed and kicked with all her insane fury. Her screams of "let me finish my painting! Let me finish my painting!" got steady fainter as they carried her down the long corridor, until they turned a corner and the screaming stopped.

I didn't think she was coming back.

Nudge and I looked at each other with tears in our eyes, sorry for the insane woman who didn't have a chance. I cleared my throat, blinked back my tears, and put on my battle face.

"That's why we have to get out of here. Tonight."

* * *

**A/N: Dun dun dun…please review!! The sooner you review the sooner I'll post the next chapter!**

**1. this is actually the name of a history textbook….it was the only thing on my desk and the closest thing I could get for a last name. don't be hating!**

so one more time...PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!


	19. Relief

**A/N: THIS IS THE CONCLUSION OF STALKER!! I got so emotional while writing this...especially at the end. It's so sweet :D  
**

**Please, please, please review!!**

**Oh, and sorry it is kinda late….I was trying to write two chapters at once. And two one-shots. Not good (but strangely entertaining!!) **

**And this is the last chapter btw …. although I **_**was**_** thinking of an maybe a sequel. What do you guys think?**

* * *

_ Recap (for ya'll who don't read the previous chapter, you bad, bad people!!)_

"_I think he's figured out what they do to their patients here. And the doctors realized it, and they….took him away…" I was silent for a moment._

"_Wait, Nudge…what do you mean what the doctors do to the patients here?"_

"_No…" I replied in confusion. Nudge paused for a minute, and then grabbed my shoulders and looked square in my eyes conveying the seriousness of the situation. _

"_They kill them. All of them. And Fang…he's scheduled for…tomorrow." She continued to look at me, letting the information sink in until my brain finally registered it. _

_Suddenly there was the loud noise of about ten people with heavy boots on entering the room. Nudge and I peaked over the top of the pile of chairs we were hiding behind. _

_There I saw the lady, the one who was painting with the gray-blue eyes that sparkled with the un-earthly light of insanity._

"_Don't take me away yet! I have to finish my painting! It's not finished! Please don't take me away!" she screamed. The men in the heavy boots and white lab coats carried off the fail little woman as she screamed and kicked with all her insane fury. Her screams of "let me finish my painting! Let me finish my painting!" got steady fainter as they carried her down the long corridor, until they turned a corner and the screaming stopped. _

_I didn't think she was coming back. _

_Nudge and I looked at each other with tears in our eyes, sorry for the insane woman who didn't have a chance. I cleared my throat, blinked back my tears, and put on my battle face._

* * *

I was running, practically flying, through the long, bare corridors of the Itex complex. There were erasers everywhere, but strangely I didn't feel threatened.

One came up on my left, and I crushed him like paper.

Another on my right, and I threw him into the wall like he was merely a baseball: his eyes burned with hatred and the wish to tear me limb from limb. All I did was smile and keep sprinting.

I turned a corner, and then all I saw was a door.

Everything got quiet and it seemed like all reality faded away, until all that was left was just me and that door.

That cold, hard, steel, door.

It was my ticket out.

I could already taste my freedom.

I reached out my already trembling hand, so happy that I was going to be free…

…and then I woke up.

_Crap! Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap…_

Stretching my arms, I slowly pulled myself off the concrete floor and rubbed my eyes slowly; almost trying to push the dream away, to not keep my hopes up …. And then I remembered.

We were getting out of here.

Tonight.

* * *

Myself and the rest of the "patients" were led to the big room where I had reunited with Nudge the day before. It was just as bright and cheery as before, only know that I knew the truth it seemed closer to sinister.

_After this I'm gonna to have a hell of a fear of hospitals_… I thought to myself. I felt a semi-lopsided grin spread across my face. The guards looked at me weirdly.

As I was ushered towards the back of the room, I made eye-contact with Nudge. She was sitting on the windowsill, and I saw her nod her head silently, carefully, telling me that any moment we would fight back. I had been waiting for this moment for so long…

_Yes._

Right now I couldn't wait to wipe the smirks and shallow smiles off the men and women clad in white lab coats. To tell the truth, they were really starting to get on my—

"NOW!" Nudge screamed at the top of her lungs, and her wings flew open. Her hair was whipping wildly around her head due to the wind that had started to blow in from the open window. Her eyes filled with fury, I realized that my little Nudge looked like a killer.

On any other day I would have been slightly disturbed.

Today, I was more proud than disturbed.

I did the same exact thing, and we were ready for battle.

_Bring it on._

The doors burst open and about ten erasers stormed the large room: their eyes gleaming with the possibility of tearing us upstarts limb from limb. The other patients screamed, and some jumped out the large, open window. I cringe, hearing their bodies hitting the ground with a soft _thud._

_They didn't even have a chance…_

"Max! Look out!" Nudge screamed, pointing at something behind me, her eyes wide with panic.

Spinning around, I find myself face to face with an eraser.

"Want a piece of me??" I yell, and throw him clear across the room. He lands on a table, and it promptly breaks and he goes crashing through the floor.

Confused cries come from below and I can imagine with glee the scene that must be going on downstairs.

But the smile disappears when someone walks through the double doors and into the room.

"That is enough…" he says, "I'll take care of her."

It's Dr. Bjorn Chimrie, who had started it all.

I want to shout at him. Tell him he's a bastard and punch him in the face and for treating me and the rest of the Flock the way he did. For allowing him to make me feel inferior and worthless. For making me believe that I was half a person.

A shadow.

A half life.

My face twists in rage and I wonder if Nudge hates this guy as much as I do. Judging by her expression, she does. She has the same look on her face, her eyes stormy and mouth pulled into a thin line.

I can feel my courage slipping. My confidence falters slightly and I can feel my indecision.

My apprehension.

And then while all this is going on, Nudge makes a nervous glance towards me. I see her swallow.

I see her confused eyes. _"What's going on?"_ they ask me.

I nod reassuringly, because that's what I'm here to do.

I can feel that confidence is back. I have to do this: for Nudge, for Fang…for the rest of the Flock.

And me.

If I don't get this guy it's going to be on my conscience for the rest of my life.

I take a deep breath.

The panic disappears from my eyes.

I stare at Dr. Chimre.

I know all eyes are on me as I stands there, watching the man who has made the past few weeks a living hell. Watching him standing there tall, with an evil smirk on his face and an overly proud air about him. He's giving me his worst glare.

I shudder inwardly, but I won't let him have the satisfaction of knowing that he's scaring me.

I feel tiny and cowed. I know I don't look like it though. I have to be strong. _Be strong…be strong…_I look at Nudge.

And then, I see that Dr. Chimre has someone behind him.

Dark. Tall. Familiar.

Fang.

His eyes are pleading with mine. _I know who you are, _they seem to say, _I know who the Flock is. I remember everything, Max, everything. I remember the kiss…_

Looking at him I can see a mirror of the Flock and all that we've fought so hard to achieve and escape from certain death. It's like some kind of courage has suddenly been injected into me from that one glance from Fang and I straightens my back and hold my head up, focusing on the Bastard in front of me, making my gaze steady and strong.

I push myself forward, ignoring everyone. It's like I've just found a courage I never knew I had.

They all watch me as I come to stand closer before the malicious Doctor. My upturned face is peering up at his cold, grey, unfeeling eyes.

My eyes confident.

Bright.

The air is thick with anticipation.

Then Dr. Chimre begins to slowly shake his head and digs those fat fingers of his into his arm. He wants me to be afraid. That way he can get what he wants.

To have control of me.

Any control.

It doesn't matter in what way.

Then he snorts.

Hatred written all over his face.

He shifts his gaze from me to Nudge. He's staring at her. Making her feel uncomfortable just like he tries to do to me. He's wearing the same scowl he kept for me and has the same menacing stance, giving the receiver of those eyes cause to shudder slightly, but Nudge stayed strong.

My brave, brave Nudge.

Then he turns to focus his cruel gaze on me again, looking at me now, utterly revolted. And if he hated me before, it's nothing to what he's feeling now. I can see him filling up with renewed loathing. Glaring down at me from his great height and twisting his fat fingers and balling them into fists still further, his mouth curling with each extra bit of pressure he's applying. I know he finds me offensive to look upon. I know that. Accept it even.

I don't care.

I'm proud to be a mutant experiment.

I'd take being a mutant over a regular human any day.

He's staring from me to Nudge, his eyes intense, waiting for someone to speak.

Everyone is silent.

Every Eraser, Patient, Doctor, and mutant kid.

This rag tag audience.

And he – that bastard, finally breaks the terrible silence that envelopes us by speaking.

"You dare to come here and challenge me?" he snarls.

Then he shocks everyone by laughing cruelly: throwing his head back until all you could see was his throat.

He brings it back down menacingly.

"You think you can win." He chuckles. "You think you can win against this!" he sweeps his arm, gesturing to the easers and scientists around us. "You can't." he spits in my face. "You're just a mutant." He looks at Nudge. "And she's nothing. Not even worth being alive."

"Think you can speak to my girl like that?" My eyes are wide. I've never, never felt so incredibly angry in all my life.

"Well You CAN'T!" I scream, and grab a conveniently placed heavy text-book and hurl it at him.

It makes contact with its surprised recipient.

He smashes to the ground, but he gets back up. His grey eyes are alive with a wild anger that terrified me inside and out.

"You…" he shakes with the feeling of his anger. "You. Little. Bitch." He spits.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Fang yells, his face dark.

"You be quiet!" Dr. Chimre nods towards Fang. "You're just as bad as the rest of them. Always pining after her, but too weak to say anything. Well don't say anything now! You'll only make your death more painful. You ass. The only smart thing you can do is shut up until it's time for you to die. You can scream all you want when you're being pulled apart by Erasers.."

"Listen," Fang speaks, seeming to ignore the insults hurled cruelly at him, but I can still see the pain that has etched itself onto his olive-toned face. "You have nothing to live for. All you have to your name is killing a bunch of innocent people, or just turning them into experiments that only live for a few days, maybe a few weeks if they're lucky!" Fang spits, and Dr. Chimre swings round, takes two steps to close the gap between him and Fang so that they end up nose to nose. And although Dr. Chimre is bigger then Fang, I can see that Fang is not going to take any crap. He stands upright, his head held high, not flinching at the evil man's closeness. He stares him out, a muscle twitching in his jaw. And I've never seen him like this.

His face angry and wings tense, ready to spring into action.

Dr. Chimre's eyes narrow as he takes in what Fang has just said.

"Nobody," Fang begins in a quiet, steely voice. "Talks to my Max like that. And if you do, I'll make sure that your life is a living. Breathing. Hell." Fang spits in his face.

It falls deathly quiet while Dr. Chimre chews on Fang's words. Then he replies.

"One more word and you die." He snarls.

But Fang doesn't even bat an eyelash as he continues to stare straight into his eyes. Eyeball to eyeball. Stare for stare. And then Fang takes one step back. The evil doctor straightens and puffs out his chest, a triumphant grin on his face now, thinking he's won but he's got it all wrong.

Fang taking things very slowly and aware of all eyes upon him, takes his hand, wipes and pushes his dark brown hair out of his eyes, his forehead wrinkling. Then he takes that one step forward again, closing the gap between him and a bewildered Dr. Chimre and all but presses his nose up against the doctor's face.

He pulls in a deep breath.

"If I were you," he begins not taking his eyes off Dr. Chimre's face. "If I were you, I'd be very careful with whom you are threatening."

And it's very quiet for a moment.

Dr. Chimre falters for a split second, his triumphant grin falling but quickly replaced by another grin.

But I can tell that he's scared now.

_Yes!_

"Or what?" he says now, glaring into Fang's frosty face.

"Hit him, Fang, hit him!" Nudge yells.

But Fang and Dr. Chimre face each other off. Neither is speaking. They just stare at each other, waiting to see who is going to back down.

I cheer inside, because I know that Dr. Chimre doesn't stand a chance.

"NOW!" Nudge screams, and I through a heavy metal pipe at Dr. Chimre.

It was almost like watching a slow motion movie, only I was the main character. I saw the metal beam flying through the air, moving very slowly though.

I stopped to think if it was really happening or if it was just my imagination.

And then, the metal pipe collided with it's target, and hit him on the head with a sickeningly heavy thump.

He fell to the ground and didn't get back up.

I saw his face grow blank and a trickle of blood start oozing from his scalp.

We had won.

And suddenly the slow motion switches to fast motion as confusion sweeps over the large room. Scientists and Erasers started running franticly around, now unsure of what to do because their leader is dead.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" someone yells, and amidst all the confusion I can tell its Fang.

I couldn't agree with him more. Picking up another heavy desk, I hurl it at the ceiling and it makes a good-sized hole and I can see sunlight shining through.

"C'mon!" I scream, and Fang, Nudge, and I spread our wings and shoot up and out.

We're flying.

And we're free.

Fang turns to look at me when we're flying just below the clouds and he smiles one of those rare smiles that I love.

"I need to tell you something." He pleads.

"Sure. tell me."

"Nudge? We're gonna land." Confused, I lead us down to a clearing in the middle of a small wooded area.

We land and I get up, brushing some pine needles off of me.

And then,

"Max."

It's Fang.

It seems he's taken a deep, steadying breath and calmed down. His quiet voice slides over me like warm honey and I'm drawn to his eyes. For a moment, I forget everyone is there. Instead I stare at him.

Meet his eyes.

See the gentleness there. The compassion. And it makes me want to cry. Nobody's ever shown me such genuine fondness before. Such caring and warmth and it touches me now in such a way that I can feel the tears come unbidden into my eyes as I try to focus on him. And he reaches out with those dark brown eyes. People say he's cold, uncaring, unreadable…but not now. Not here. His need for me plain enough for anyone to see. He's holding out one hand, offering me safe passage away from all this horror and hostility.

He's focused and confident as he conveys his message.

The message that says: _"It's ok. It doesn't matter. I'm here. With you. Come on."_

And I ache for him. I need to be with him. I need to go to him. I need his comfort.

His familiarity.

His warmth.

And then suddenly, even though I'm having a problem focusing because of my tears, I'm aware of a pair of warm, comfortable arms around me, pulling me up and drawing me in.

And I know who it is.

I know the scent.

The ever familiar, calming scent. And it envelopes me.

And I let it.

Let it settle over me.

And I draw in great gasps of recognition. Bask in it. Wallow in it.

I'd even be willing to die in it.

I pull him in as close as I can.

"Max." he murmurs again, his voice: warm, soft, and seductive above me.

And his arms, strong, healing, safe, around me.

And I'm home.

At last, I'm home.

I press my face against his shoulder. That firm part of him that never ceases to amaze me with its strength and pull in a shuddering breath.

I breathe deeply of his scent.

His pheromones.

Close my eyes and give myself up to it.

Take in all my surroundings.

But only the surroundings that I want.

The rest I keep at bay.

And it's a safety net.

This being able to cut off everything around me except for this one man.

And then it's blessed relief.

And the tears continue.

Only now they're tears of relief.

Thick and fast they fall down my face as I bury it against him.

Nothing matters now.

So long as I can stay here, where I am.

Where I belong.

Within the circle of his arms.

**Fin.**


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